Congratulations to all the graduates celebrating this spring!

Happy 15th Birthday Ben!

I just wanted to wish my middle son, Benjamin Dale, a very happy 15th birthday today. The first picture was taken at is confirmation last April and the second picture was taken this past Christmas. He was very insistent that I not use "old" pictures. lol Teenagers! Love you much honey pot! ;)

Angora Bunnies

I was searching through some old pictures and found one of a litter of French Angora bunnies. I used to raise them about 5-6 years ago but found they were too labor intense, cute little buggers though!

Upgrade

I have upgraded from the cast to this fashionable (not!) walking boot. I can now put a bit of weight on my foot, enough to make it easier getting around the house. I still can't do much as my foot tends to double in size if it is not elevated most of the time. And I can't get out of the house without help other than to the front or back porches. I have not been to the barn in 3 1/2 weeks but Dan did get me in the car and drive me out to see my Plymouth Barred Rock chicks in the brooder house, my how fast they grow! Hopefully in another three weeks I will be back on both feet and able to enjoy the summer and the great outdoors again.

Broken Ankle

I made it through all the snow and ice this winter only to hurt myself on a beautiful, 70 degree day. I stepped off the front porch steps Monday and twisted my ankle, badly. I suffered a fracture in my fibula and will be in this pretty purple cast for three weeks and then a boot for another three, possibly four. The shearer comes today and I won't even be able to be out in the barn, let alone help. Well, I guess I will get caught up on all the reading I've been wanting to do.

Ivy

It has been so gray and overcast here, not good outdoor picture taking conditions. So here's a picture taken inside of my twin ivies. They are both from cuttings, the original plant was given to my mother when she was in the hospital having me! They were both in need of bigger pots so to feed my cravings of playing in the dirt I decided to re-pot them Monday. They love the light from all the south windows and have done very well this winter.

Bandits

I caught these little bandits eating corn from this past fall's corn shock. We had left it on the edge of the woods for the chickens and birds to clean up but it looks like it has attracted interest from some others. They are both pretty little and look like the winter has been a bit hard on them so we left them to eat.

Blizzard 2011

February of 2011 arrived with a storm for the record books. Almost two feet of snow with winds of 35-45 miles per hour. We spent this morning digging paths to the barns
and even off of the back deck.
I decided to just try my luck breaking through the drifts to the chicken coop.
As always, Ginger was right there with us!

Dan came by this morning in a MODoT tractor to clear the road.

According to Punxsutawney Phil, we are going to have an early spring. Let's hope!

Eagle Blog?

I can't help it, I am so taken with these majestic birds! I noticed one flying outside my window and ran down and grabbed the camera. Not only was this adult bald eagle circling the pasture across the road, his buddy was perched in what I am now calling "The Eagle Tree."

Juvenile Eagle

I just happened to look out the front window this morning and spotted this juvenile bald eagle perched in the tree directly across from our lane. You can tell how close the tree is by the picture I took from the side porch. He seemed very content to sit and watch over things for a long while. I still can't get over seeing them this close to the house, what magnificent birds!

I'm Wishing, I'm Wishing....

For spring!!! Why is it that December snow is so much more magical than January snow?





"Did you bring us more hay Mom? We already ate what Dad gave us this morning."



Susie seems to be enjoying herself this morning!



The goatie girls much prefer the barn this morning. Poor Nellie is getting on in age and doesn't seem to be handling the cold very well this year at all. She's the Toggenburg in the back. I may have to find her a coat...

Bald Eagles

I love bald eagles, some would even say I have an infatuation with them. My kids actually accuse me of "stalking" them! Growing up we never saw bald eagles, thanks in large part to DDT. In the last few years we have had the wonderful fortune of watching them make a dramatic come back. (Dan likes to remind me I won't like them as much when they are preying on my chickens). I snapped these pictures just up the road at my neighbor's house. There was some roadkill in the ditch across from his lane and they had been dining on it for the past couple of days. I counted four there today but they seemed skittish of my car parked in the driveway and would not land (pose) for me. I took a chance and snapped a few. Please forgive the bad lighting, it seems the sun rarely shines this time of year.

My Wish Book

You know you might be a little bit of a country girl when the new McMurray Hatchery catalog arrives in the mail and you exclaim that your "wish book" is finally here!
It seems like every other day there is a new seed catalog in the mailbox and I love sitting down with a cup of hot chocolate and dreaming about playing in the dirt again. Yet nothing quite says Spring to me like a magazine full of chicks and ducklings. I sold all of my ducks and even my one goose last year and I miss them more than I thought I would. I haven't decided what breed I am going to get this time. I have had Indian Runners, Mallards, Rouens, Black Cayugas, Blue Swedes, White Pekin and Khaki Campbells. I really loved them all. Oh! Decisions, decisions! :)

Winter Wonderland

I snapped a few pictures while Ginger and I were out feeding the birds this morning.


The chickens decided to dine in. :)

Snow Much Fun!

We got the six inches of snow they were predicting and Ginger, my corgi, decided to help me feed the birds this morning. Well, she just played while I fed.

It's Snowing!

The snow has started to fly and they are predicting 4-6 inches by tomorrow. It doesn't seem to bother the sheep and birds though.

Happy Holidays (a little late)

A belated Merry Christmas to my blogland friends and I hope 2011 holds more blessings than you will be able to count!